𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑬 đť‘𝑰𝑻𝑺 𝑻𝑯𝑬 đť‘©đť‘°đť‘łđť‘ł!
Natalie Roles and Ashley Gunstock, two actors from The Bill, will be going head-to-head, as the merchant and the moneylender, in this highly vibrant production of The Merchant of Venice - Shakespeare's most controversial play.
'If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.' Â
In a city run by greed, in the grip of a Halloween chaos, what price must you pay for love? Can you hope for justice in a society without tolerance? Or is vengeance the closest the outsider can get to acceptance? Â
Poetic Justice Productions presents The Merchant of Venice, regarded as being Shakespeare’s most controversial play, echoing not only the period in which it was written but that of today’s Britain: the wealthy few have power and the outsider, considered to be dangerous, must be kept in line. Â
Set against the backdrop of modern-day working shipping docks, Antonia, a wealthy Merchant is desperately in need of funds. Her friend, Bassanio, needs a rich wife to clear his debts. Portia, a wealthy heiress, reduced to a prize for which men must gamble, seems to be the perfect solution.Â
Beneath the charmed surface, all are at risk, and everyone needs a win. As for Shylock, the despised and alienated moneylender? Is he the answer to Antonia’s prayers or will Shylock seek revenge against the community that has never accepted him?Â
“This is a lively and modern Venice stuffed with money, revenge and romance.” Culturefly Â
“This very well-presented version of The Merchant of Venice is excellently executed, proving to modern audiences that Shakespeare doesn’t have to be complicated in order to understand it.” My Theatre Mates Â
Performance:
Sunday 29 October 2023 from 5pm to 6.45pm, including a 15-minute interval
